Electrical splice

ABSTRACT

An electrical splice having first and second mating identical insulative parts with channels therein for receiving first and second pairs of conductors, respectively, and an insulative center member with first and second shorting pins disposed on opposite sides of first and second guide locking members which cooperate with guide slots in the first and second identical parts for receiving the guide locking members.

United States Patent 1191 [1 1 3,786,173 Vogt 1451 Jan. 15, 1974 ELECTRICAL SPLICE 3,041,575 6/1962 Schneider 339/99 R [76] Inventor: Kuno J. Vogt, 5854 Kantor CL, San

Diego, Calif, 92122 Primary Examiner-Darrell L. Clay [22] Filed Jan 31 1972 Attorney-Richard K. MacNeill 121] Appl. No.: 221,913

[57] ABSTRACT [52] 174/88 la 33 7 6 An electrical splice hailing first and second mating 51] Int Cl 6 15/08 identical insulative parts with channels therein for re [58] Fieid 4 R 9] ceiving first and second pairs of conductors, respecl74/8-4 R tively, and an insulative-center member with first and 630 second shorting pins disposed on opposite sides of first 1 and second guide locking members which cooperate with guide slots in the first and second identical parts [56] UNITE S gIT F E SCSZqFENTS for receiving the guide locking members. 2,725,545 11/1955 Gordon 339/99 R 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures s9 22 2 3 13 9 l2 I6 I 9 II/l/IYAWIIIIIIIA" lllggflrll 2:: :x r [III/III,

' VIII/II BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electrical splice and more particularly to an electrical splice having symmetrical parts which will assemble in only the correct manner.

According to the invention, an electrical splice is provided having first and second identical end members for receiving first and second pairs of electrical conductors and a center guide locking member for being received by guide slots in each of the first and second end members, all of the. members being constructed of an insulative material such as plastic. The center member carries first and second shorting pins for shorting the first and second conductors of each pair to the first and second conductors of the other pair, respectively. The channels within the first and second end members are laid out for cooperation with the center member and reception of the conductors thereof in that the parts will only fit together in the correct positioning.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved electrical splice.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an electrical splice having a minimum of parts.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an electrical splice which is fool proof in assembly.

Yet another objectof the present invention is the provision of an electrical splice which is inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects andmany of the attendant advantages will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughtout' the FIGS. thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a completed splice of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view 'of the embodiment of FIG. 1; 1

FIG. 3 is a perspective and exploded view, partially sectioned, of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational sectional view of the completed splice of the embodiment of. FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Referring to FIG. 1, a splice is shown generally at 11 having insulative end members 12 and 13 receiving conductors 14 and 15, and 16 and 17, respectively. Locking tabs 18 and-19 extend through guide slots 21 of member 12.

Referring to FIG. 2, end members 12and 13 are shown in spatial relationship to'insulative center member 22. Guide and locking center member 22 has shorting pins 23 and 24 molded therein. Guide portions 26 and 27 of center member 22 carry locking tabs 18 and 19, and 28 and 29, respectively. Guide members 26 and 27 are in alignment with guide slots 21 and 31 of end members 12 and 13, respectively. End member 12 has conductor channels 32 and 33 communicating with an outside face 34. End member 13 has conductor channels 36 and 37 communicating with end face 38.

Referring to FIG. 3, conductor channel 33 in end member 12 is shown in relationship to guide slot 21 and conductor recess 39. Conductor channel 36 in end member 13 is shown in spatial relationship with guide channel 31 and conductor recess 41.

Referring to FIG. 4, conductor 17 is shown entering conductor channel 36 and terminating in conductor recess 41. Conductor 14 is shown terminating in conductor recess 39 having passed-through conductor channel I 32 (not shown). Conductor 15 is shown entering conductor channel 33 after which it will terminate in a conductor recess complimentary to recess 39. Shorting pin 23 is shown shorting conductor 14 to conductor 17.

OPERATION Referring back to all of the FIGS., it can be seen that I if an insulated conductor such as a lamp cord is passed through channel 36 of end piece 13 and into recess 41 .and the other conductor of that pair, typically 16, is

spectively, an electrical splice will result as shown in FIG. 4. It can also be seen that due to the displacement of guide sections 26 and 27, it would be impossible to effect a union of the pairs in other than the correct assembly. If the conductors were not placed in their correct channels and recesses the guide sections 26 and 27 could not be placed within guide slots 21 and 31 because the conductors would block the guide slots 21 and/or 31. 7

After all the parts are properly mated, the locking tabs 18 and 19, and 28 and 29 will pass through guide slots 21 and 31 and onto the outer faces of members 12 and 13, respectively, completing the splice. Should it be desired for any reason, to disassemble the splice the locking tabs 18 and 19, for example, would be squeezed together allowing their passage through guide slot 21 and disassembly of the splice. Likewise, locking tabs 28 and 29 would be squeezed together allowing their passage through guide slot 31 disassembling that portion of the splice.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure which no not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention;

The invention claimed is: r

1. An electrical splice comprising: I

first and second insulative members, each of said first and second insulative members having first and second channels dimensioned for receiving first and second conductors to be'spliced, each of said insulative members having first and second recesses dimensioned for receiving said first and second conductors after passage through said first and second channels, each of' said first and second insulative members having a guide channel;

an insulative center member said center member carrying first and second guide members extending in opposite directions and being received by said guide channels in said first and second insulative members; and

tive members. 3. The electrical splice of claim 2 wherein said locking means comprises:

at least one raised portion terminating the ends of said first and second guide members, said raised portion passing through one of said guide channels and latching an end of said first and second insulative members. 

1. An electrical splice comprising: first and second insulative members, each of said first and second insulative members having first and second channels dimensioned for receiving first and second conductors to be spliced, each of said insulative members having first and second recesses dimensioned for receiving said first and second conductors after passage through said first and second channels, each of said first and second insulative members having a guide channel; an insulative center member said center member carrying first and second guide members extending in opposite directions and being received by said guide channels in said first and second insulative members; and first and second metallic shorting pins carried by said center member and geometrically disposed for electrically shorting any conductors contained in the opposite cavities in said first and second insulative members.
 2. The electrical splice of claim 1 and further including: locking means carried by said center member locking said center member to said first and second insulative members.
 3. The electrical splice of claim 2 wherein said locking means comprises: at least one raised portion terminating the ends of said first and second guide members, said raised portion passing through one of said guide channels and latching an end of said first and second insulative members. 